“[Sir Ken Morrison] showed us all the importance of aiming high but never forgetting the practicalities of life and the humanity of those we deal with.”

These words encapsulate the essence of great retailing, great business and great Customer Experience. Ken Morrison was an innovator – for example he built Morrisons on a model of vertical integration, directly controlling many of its food suppliers, and developed the Market Street concept of retail theatre combined with expertise directly available to the consumer.

In the House of Commons, following Prime Minister Theresa May’s most detailed speech to date on her government’s Brexit strategy, Conservative MP Nicholas Soames (despite being a strong Remain supporter) says it is time to accept the verdict of the referendum and “get on with it”.

He quotes his grandfather Winston Churchill: “If there is a bear in your bedroom it is not a matter for speculation.”

The simple wisdom of this statement – as well as the refreshing humour – resonates through time.

If you have a bear (an unwanted, unwelcome, and potentially dangerous intruder) in your bedroom (or boardroom), sometimes it just takes an outside observer to say “I see you have a bear in there. What are you going to do about it?”

My POSITIVE Customer Experience Newsletter for September coincides with the Autumn Trade Fairs season: whatever your industry it’s a time to check in with the market, with your collaborators and competitors and with your business strategy and plan for the foreseeable future.

It’s time to move on from the holiday season and commit to the actions you will take to build Brexit resilience.

The newsletter contains 10 Top Tips to help you navigate the next few uncertain months and come out stronger.